Chris Robertson believes forging bonds with Andrew Davies off the field is helping the Ross County defensive pair form a strong partnership on it.
The Staggies’ two summer signings have held first-team favour together since stalwart Scott Boyd lost his place in early August through a neck injury.
Performances have been convincing and Robertson, the former Torquay, Preston and Port Vale defender, is loving these first tastes of football in Scotland.
The English-reared Scot rates Davies, a former Middlesbrough and Bradford City defender with English Premier League experience, as a great asset for County.
Robertson said: “I knew Andrew from playing against him down south. Now we’re on the same side, we seem to be clicking quite well.
“We’re enjoying each other’s company on and off the pitch, so it’s working well. Hopefully that continues. We had the odd tussle in England. Bradford were always a team which liked a scrap and a fight and we went head-to-head a couple of times.”
Robertson, born in Dundee, moved south of the border with his family at a young age and, until joining County, played all of his football in England.
A thirst for new experiences convinced him to turn down more lucrative offers in England’s League 1 in the summer for a switch to Scotland’s Premiership.
So far, it hasn’t disappointed, with Robertson now revelling in a magical mystery tour of the new playing environment.
He said: “It’s new grounds, new teams and new opponents every week. I don’t mean this disrespectfully but, often, it is players I’ve not heard of before.
“So it is a good experience. That’s why I wanted to come here and play in the Scottish Premiership – for a different challenge.
“I’m enjoying the football and the lads here are great, but you only enjoy your football when you’re doing well and working hard.
“That’s what everyone has to do, and we’re playing well and with a bit of confidence.”
Saturday’s draw at Motherwell was, on paper, a decent point for the Staggies amid a positive start to the season, but the loss of a lead in the last minute of play stuck in the throat.
Robertson said: “When we lose a goal that late in the game, it feels like a defeat. We seemed so comfortable but one cross and it’s in the back of the net. We have to be on it at all times of the game and go to the final whistle. If not, we’ll be punished.”